Saudi-led coalition intercepts Houthi missiles, drones as Houthi media report Saudi airstrikes

The Saudi-led coalition said on Friday it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles and two drones fired by Yemen's Houthi group toward Saudi Arabia, as Houthi-run media reported deadly Saudi airstrikes across Houthi-held areas of Yemen.

Coalition spokesman Turki Al-Maliki said in a post on X on Friday afternoon that Saudi air defenses had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Khamis Mushait in the kingdom's southwest.

Earlier in the day, the coalition said it had brought down another ballistic missile headed for the Saudi capital, Riyadh, along with two drones targeting the southern region.

Meanwhile, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported continued Saudi airstrikes on Friday, saying three people were killed and nine others injured when a strike hit a house in Nihm district, northeast of Sanaa. Citing a local Houthi security official, the broadcaster said all 12 victims were members of the same family.

Al-Masirah also reported airstrikes in the northern province of Saada, the western Red Sea province of Hodeidah and parts of the southwestern province of Taiz, including the port city of Mocha. It quoted a Houthi military source as saying Saudi aircraft had struck a lighthouse on Mayyun Island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

There was no immediate comment from the coalition on the reported airstrikes, and the casualties could not be independently verified.

The exchange of strikes came amid an escalation in the conflict, with Saudi warplanes carrying out strikes deep inside Houthi-held territory and the Houthis launching repeated missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of the country's north, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

Saudi-led coalition intercepts Houthi missiles, drones as Houthi media report Saudi airstrikes

Saudi-led coalition intercepts Houthi missiles, drones as Houthi media report Saudi airstrikes

Ukraine's Defense Ministry monitoring data shows that the Starlink and Starshield satellite communication systems have restored performance, the country's defense minister Evgeniy Khmara said on Saturday.

The connection is stable, with speeds exceeding 400 kilometers per hour, Khmara said, according to Ukraine media.

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by U.S. aerospace company SpaceX that provides high-speed broadband connectivity worldwide. Starshield is its militarized version. Ukrainian forces rely heavily on both systems.

Khmara said the restoration is of significant importance for frontline operations, as the systems support troop mobility, drone missions, military logistics and battlefield communications.

He added that Ukraine will continue to monitor the operational status of both systems, and assess the level of communication capability.

Ukraine had repeatedly said SpaceX restricted Starlink services, hampering the country's attack and air-defense drone missions.

Ukraine says Starlink, Starshield systems restored to stable connection